I honestly think it will settle out to a more moderate equilibrium. too much FF(gas) to leave it completely, as the pols say the investment in RE will be more a part of it,something else down the road will come into the mix.(ie fusion,hydrogen). don't forget Cape Wind is sort of IMBY (I would see it everytime I got to the beach or market after leaving that porch to the left) , if not for the ridiculous subs I'd love the idea.
Electricity Rates
- Thread starter Parallax
- Start date
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Right now its all state level action...some states are 'on fire' with RE projects (CA, Texas, Iowa), some (like MA) have great efficiency projects (MassSave and Mass EV incentives). In others, anti-RE pols will block all progress.
The EPA carbon plan is trying to coordinate state efforts/plans, while leaving the details to the states. Some states are clearly going to opt out, by suing the EPA rather than implementing a CO2 reduction plan.
The future will be interesting. In 10 years will states that opted out be seen as low cost of energy, business friendly paradises filled with great jobs and booming economies OR will they be seen as economic backwaters, with high carbon footprint energy sources that are not competitive economically due to customer demands for low-footprint manufactured goods, or expenses due to carbon taxes or FF usage fees.
We have a real 'laboratory of the states' situation shaping up.
The EPA carbon plan is trying to coordinate state efforts/plans, while leaving the details to the states. Some states are clearly going to opt out, by suing the EPA rather than implementing a CO2 reduction plan.
The future will be interesting. In 10 years will states that opted out be seen as low cost of energy, business friendly paradises filled with great jobs and booming economies OR will they be seen as economic backwaters, with high carbon footprint energy sources that are not competitive economically due to customer demands for low-footprint manufactured goods, or expenses due to carbon taxes or FF usage fees.
We have a real 'laboratory of the states' situation shaping up.
here is something to warm you up. from wsi,twitter . wsi says today will be a 10gw day (broken image removed)
reality of Nasty Grid winter rates hits. quick look at the numbers and we unplugged the electric space heaters in favor of oil.( just using it on one of 5 zones upstairs) our usage dropped 30% to 575kw.( not bad with the Christmas lts) bill slightly smaller than 2014. waiting for the Jan oil delivery to do a fair comparison. even with the drop in oil prices and electric usage, we are guessing our
energy bills
will be about the same as 2014.
energy bills
will be about the same as 2014.
Nasty grid came out with the spring rates. reduced to just over $.09/ kwh. about $.01 higher than 2014. stopping the space heat worked out to be a plus. used about 3% less oil during a colder winter and 25-30% less electricity. ave. price of oil dropped about $1.20 this year to $2.35, thank you. feb 500/kw cost us $121.00 that will be down to somewhere near $90.00. have a day
An interesting perspective on electric rates
http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/...-pay-some-of-the-lowest-rates-in-the-country/
http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/...-pay-some-of-the-lowest-rates-in-the-country/
Would love to see a number of utilities broken up and taken over by communities. There are many cities overseas that offer free wifi. There's no reason we shouldn't have it too. It's just our anti-government dogma that gets in the way. There are many things government can do well. Government can also be inefficient and corrupt. The fact that it can be inefficient and corrupt is not a reason to cut it out of the picture. We just have to be responsible for making sure our government agencies respond to citizen input.
Babaganoosh
Minister of Fire
It's nice to dream. There's anti government sentiment for a reason. For the most part it's warranted.
Check out Chattanooga Tenn. They did it in spite of opposition by Comcast and others. They now have the fastest broadband network in the country.
http://www.nationofchange.org/2015/...-pay-some-of-the-lowest-rates-in-the-country/
BIGDADDY
Feeling the Heat
- May 17, 2012
- 416
Panera Bread has free wifi. Well I guess they pay for it but free for the customers.
I guess some people want the government to run everything. Many present the idea that it's free if it comes from the government and it is if you Don't pay taxes.
I know as a tax paying US citizen I'd rather let people pay for their own internet or go without it.
Who would ever suggest our government of being corrupt or inefficient?
BIGDADDY
Feeling the Heat
- May 17, 2012
- 416
Doesn't look cheap to me.
(broken link removed to http://www.cornhusker-power.com/rates.asp)
There are often cost savings when things are done on a large scale. Medicare is an example of an efficient government program. It costs half as much to get someone health care through Medicare as through for-profit insurance coverage. There are a number of reasons. One is there's no need for anyone to profit. Second, the fact that it's a large program allows them to negotiate discounts that others cannot get. It would be even cheaper if the Congress didn't prevent Medicare from negotiating discounts with drug companies. That was an example of government stepping in to increase costs as a payoff to a special interest. The people who voted for that should be strung up. However, it's not as simple as blaming one party. The Republicans are mostly worse than the Democrats when it comes to those sweetheart deals.
In my province, electricity rates are the cheapest in Canada. It is run by the state. However, they are still increasing the cost of electricity for consumers and make billions in profit. BUT, we are still the cheapest in the country so I won't complain.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/hydro-québec-s-2014-profit-surges-15-due-to-cold-weather-1.2973517
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/hydro-québec-s-2014-profit-surges-15-due-to-cold-weather-1.2973517
gotta kick in my thought. point I bring up is most likely only a Massachusetts problem. here there are a few cities and towns whom have their own electric,gas, even cable depts. they often offer better rates. can't say how well they service their utilities. as for the state running such an enterprise, it would probably fall right in line with our Turnpike Authority and MBTA, just to name two state agencies wrought with mismanagement, poor service, and waste.
that aside. Nasty Grids ceo being paid $1.3 mil is just a little excessive. even if his pay/customer really only amounts to a pee hole in the snow banks around here.
that aside. Nasty Grids ceo being paid $1.3 mil is just a little excessive. even if his pay/customer really only amounts to a pee hole in the snow banks around here.
Yeah, there's no magic bullet approach. Government can be corrupt and wasteful. Private corporations are greedy and self interested, focused only the needs of shareholders (and sometimes management). There was a time when many people thought in terms of having government and corporations stand in opposition, offsetting each other, checking each other's worst abuses. That was an idea that gained prominence in the "70s. Then Reagan and this notion that government is inherently bad and private enterprise is magically and inherently good. In my view, that's a warped view and we've been the worse off for it. And still, there's so much for which to be grateful.
I know a guy who is both Danish and Polish. The Danes are typical Scandinavians living in their social-Democracy utopia, with high taxes but cradle to grave services, all of it delivered quite efficiently. The Poles emerged from the dysfunction of hard-core communism in the "90s, idolized Reagan and his ilk, and strive mightily to be like us. On my first trip to Poland, in the early 90s, people were so welcoming and friendly, generous beyond belief. Now they're so busy working two and three jobs to try to acquire homes and cars, they have no time for anything else.
My friend spends part of his time in both countries. He likes Denmark as the place to educate himself and his children, retire comfortably and the like. He likes Poland as the place to strive to build wealth. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.
I'd like to see an approach that incorporates the best of both. To me, a Canadian style medical delivery system is a no brainer. They deliver better health care than we receive for half the cost. I also think it makes sense to subsidize university tuition (but not the way we do it, which is wasteful and encourages bloated budgets -- more on that another time) and to create old-age pensions (since none of us know how long we'll live) that cover basic living expenses. At the same time, I think it's important to keep an eye on efficiency and make a place for private enterprise that doesn't regulate to the point of inefficiency. The Germans have done a really good of creating such a society. They have really strong unions, high wages, and their corporations are extremely profitable. They have a solid social safety net. The health care system isn't as good as the British or Canadian but far better than ours.
No country is perfect. We can all learn from each other. The U.S. probably needs serious reform to get money out of politics. I hope that's something the left and right can agree on. There have been recent studies concluding that we're no longer a democracy but rather an oligarchy in terms of the laws that get passed. That's a judgment call I suppose but we've moved further and further in that direction over the last 40 years or so, with the wealthy gaining more and more levers with which to control the shape and contours of our society.
I know a guy who is both Danish and Polish. The Danes are typical Scandinavians living in their social-Democracy utopia, with high taxes but cradle to grave services, all of it delivered quite efficiently. The Poles emerged from the dysfunction of hard-core communism in the "90s, idolized Reagan and his ilk, and strive mightily to be like us. On my first trip to Poland, in the early 90s, people were so welcoming and friendly, generous beyond belief. Now they're so busy working two and three jobs to try to acquire homes and cars, they have no time for anything else.
My friend spends part of his time in both countries. He likes Denmark as the place to educate himself and his children, retire comfortably and the like. He likes Poland as the place to strive to build wealth. Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages.
I'd like to see an approach that incorporates the best of both. To me, a Canadian style medical delivery system is a no brainer. They deliver better health care than we receive for half the cost. I also think it makes sense to subsidize university tuition (but not the way we do it, which is wasteful and encourages bloated budgets -- more on that another time) and to create old-age pensions (since none of us know how long we'll live) that cover basic living expenses. At the same time, I think it's important to keep an eye on efficiency and make a place for private enterprise that doesn't regulate to the point of inefficiency. The Germans have done a really good of creating such a society. They have really strong unions, high wages, and their corporations are extremely profitable. They have a solid social safety net. The health care system isn't as good as the British or Canadian but far better than ours.
No country is perfect. We can all learn from each other. The U.S. probably needs serious reform to get money out of politics. I hope that's something the left and right can agree on. There have been recent studies concluding that we're no longer a democracy but rather an oligarchy in terms of the laws that get passed. That's a judgment call I suppose but we've moved further and further in that direction over the last 40 years or so, with the wealthy gaining more and more levers with which to control the shape and contours of our society.
There is a town in CT (Wallingford) that the town provides 100% of the electricity at cost with nor profit. It is half the price of the other 2 CT electrical providers in the state.
I believe the charge a simple $15 service fee and then .10kwh. They also blew away the other providers in terms of reliability. They had practically zero issues during Sandy and Irene.
We have I believe the highest rates here in the country behind Hawaii.
When I do the math of dividing my total kwh usage against my total bill I pay around .22-.25 a kwh delivered. Half my bill is just charges in delivering to my home.
Oh and rates are going up 25% again next month. Wouldnt suprise me to see .30kwh total cost soon.
These utilites here are making massive profits if a town can provide more reliable power for half the cost.
I believe the charge a simple $15 service fee and then .10kwh. They also blew away the other providers in terms of reliability. They had practically zero issues during Sandy and Irene.
We have I believe the highest rates here in the country behind Hawaii.
When I do the math of dividing my total kwh usage against my total bill I pay around .22-.25 a kwh delivered. Half my bill is just charges in delivering to my home.
Oh and rates are going up 25% again next month. Wouldnt suprise me to see .30kwh total cost soon.
These utilites here are making massive profits if a town can provide more reliable power for half the cost.
Mass House of Reps to hold Nasty Grid hearing on winter rate raise. Post Audit Comm, always after the fact. how about finding out why when they asked and received their increase last fall.http://wwlp.com/2015/03/24/house-panel-looking-into-recent-spike-in-mass-electric-rates/ question is about signing inflated gas contracts. maybe they need to get a better forecast service to advise them on their gas requirements. also needed increase in supply lines to the power plants.
CaptSpiff
Minister of Fire
Yup, those opposing the new Natural Gas pipelines are causing your winter energy prices to skyrocket. Plus endangering your lives because of a reliability risk to the ISO-NE electric grid. Luckily New Englanders have plenty of disposable income to pay for those Electric Generators who are forced to temporarily switch to more costly secondary fuels. Oh wait,... that's what we're complaining about.
Lots of studying and complaining, but little will to take action for the "public good".
interesting unknown fact I think to most people? Boston Globe http://www.bostonglobe.com/business...ustry-warns/nESAc2Vx8ASqAlZkbKU9lI/story.html the last pp is the Nasty Grid position, does not explain how high the cost passed on is. gotta dig to find that I guess. still nice to know I'm helping others to pay for their panels whether bought, leased, or retail
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jb6l6gc
Minister of Fire
my rates here in southern ontario are 12.9c/kwh plus delivery which is almost as much on top of that. Almost criminal, and you now know why I try not to run my forced air electric furnace as much as possible. I got the shock of a lifetime last year when I ran outta wood and went meh wth how bad could it be... How bad?
I had 2 billing cycles done before the 1st bill came. Ended up with an $850 bill for January and a $650 for Feb. I tell ya I was back on wood before the blink of an eye LOL. Lessons learned when you move to the country!
I had 2 billing cycles done before the 1st bill came. Ended up with an $850 bill for January and a $650 for Feb. I tell ya I was back on wood before the blink of an eye LOL. Lessons learned when you move to the country!
Other forms of energy such as oil and gas are heavily subsidized. Makes far more sense to subsidize renewable energy, especially in light of global warming.
I am fortunate that I have CHEAP electricity AND still burn with wood. I have co-workers who, despite paying $0.07/kWh in our province, have bills that are $500/month! I don't know what they'd do if they lived in another province. One guy even heats his detached garage to 15 degrees year round (it is insulated but still...)my rates here in southern ontario are 12.9c/kwh plus delivery which is almost as much on top of that. Almost criminal, and you now know why I try not to run my forced air electric furnace as much as possible. I got the shock of a lifetime last year when I ran outta wood and went meh wth how bad could it be... How bad?
Andrew
